Game



Nov. 4, 1924. A 1,513,941

l T. H. SMITH M2655 MMM Nov. 4 1924. 1,513,941

Y `T. H. SMITH GAME Filed Dec. 23 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. SMITH, F BIiOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

GAME.

Application led December 23, 1922. Serial'No. 608,645.

To all whom t may concern.'

' and a resident of Bloomington, county of Mc- Lean, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Games, of

which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved apparatus for play ing indoors an outdoorv game involving the knocking ofv a ball overia predetermined course or field; to provide an improved construction of means for representing in .accurate miniature the course or eld, or portions thereof, on which the outdoor game is played; to provide improved means representing the implements or paraphernalia with which the game is played on the course or field and indicating the plays which result. from the use of such implements or paraphernalia; to provide an improved apparatusof this kind which is particularly adapted for use in playing golf; and toprovide a golf game of this kind wherein, except for actually knocking the ball, the manvner and results of playing closely resemble the playing and the scorcs'of the outdoor game.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure l is a plan of a plate whereon is a miniature representation of a pbrtion of a golf course, constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the recep' door game. wherein a ball is vknocked over the field, and. `counting means for directing the plays to be made with the means which represent the ball. Y

On the late or platesthe representations ld' (or portions thereof)l are laid outl to scale showing the various characteristics peculiar to 4the outdoor field. The plates may be, and preferably are, colored Aand shaded to more clearly visualize these characteristics.

The countin means comprises several pairs of cubes,-or odies having four lor more sides, representative of the implements used in the outdoor'game. Said bodies bear descrip'tive indicia on the faces thereofsuch that when said bodles are thrown 1n various groups the 1nd1c1a thereon combine to directly indicate the playthat should be made on the plate 1. y

' In the specific embodiment herein shown, the apparatus is constructed for use in playing golf. The golf course `s preferably laid -Qut on several different p ates, each plate representing the course between a tee and a hole, or one plate containing the representation of several such portions of the course, particularly the shorter ones.

The plate l shown 'in Fig. 1 is more or less characteristic of all of the plates. `The representation is drawn to scale and shows an actual golf course with its fairway 2, be.- tween the tee 3 and hole 4, the fairway being bordered with the rough portions 5 and 6 of the field. Sand traps 7, bunkers 8, and stymies 9, are illustrated on the plate to correspond with the arrangement of the course of which this representation purports to be a miniature. Preferably the plate has the fairway 2'colored green and the sand traps 7 colored yellow, as indicated by the crosshatching in the drawings. portions 5 and 6 and the bunkers 8, in addition to being tinted green, are preferably heavily shaded so -as to represent elevations.

y The stymies 9 may also be tinted and have trees drawn thereon. A dotted line 10 is drawn along the middle of the fairway 2 and at intervals therealong has transverse lines marked to represent distances on the fairway. y. It

In this representation the hole 4 on the green is circumscribed by three circles 4B, 4G and 4R outlining zones, each extending around the hole, and within which the number of strokes to hole out are determined directly from a special counter rather than by 'thenumberof plays made bythe player usin the-other counters as in the case when playing on the fairway, as-will'be more clearly hereinafter pointed out.

The material for use in playing the game iS shown in Figures 2 to l5, and comprises r stroke resulted means 11 representing the golf balls, counters 12 representing the clubs, and a measuring scale 13 for use in` measuring distances on the plate 1.

.The means 11 for representing the balls are in vthe nature of small dome-shaped blocks preferably colored white, and numbered in pairs. These are ,to be set along on the plate 1 as directed by the counters to. indicate the plays along the course.

The counters comprise a. plurality of bodies each having four or more sides, as for example the cubes 12, which answer a purpose similar. to dice,two of such bodies being arranged to represent each, of the clubs used in the outdoor golf game, such as for example, the driver, the mid-iron, the mashie,etc, Three of such bodies represent the putters.

Each of said bodies bears on its several vfaces descriptive indicia,which consists of the name of the club Which said bodies represents, and figures indicative of yards, distance, or strokes, the latter being characteristic'only of the putter bodies. In addition to this, one` of said bodies of each pair has indicia indicating directions along the course, either straight, slice, or hook The figures are of varying amounts, being proportioned between the minimum and maximum yards which a ball is driven by the Various clubs when actually used in the outdoor game. For example, in Fig. 2, the three exposed faces of one of the bodies 12 intendedl to represent the driven bear'the figures 185, 220 and 235 respectively. These figures correspond with the number of yards to be measured along the center line 10 of the fairway 2. The other of such bodies representing the driven shows on one face that the direction of the drive is straight, and on the other, that the Other faces of this same body 12 show either a slice or a hook, as do 'also the other corresponding bodies as will be readily observed from. Fig. 2.

The bodies 12 which represent the putters are three innumber, and are variously differentiated as by being colored red, green, and blue, for the purpose of readily indicating which one is to be used Whenithe ball is approaching the green and within one or the other of the Zones indicated by the circles'llR, 4G, or 4B. AThe numbers on these bodies indicate f the strokes required -to hole in rather than distance.l The num-- bers appearing onthe severaly sides or faces of these bodies Vare varied so -as tonearly represent' theiprobabilities of holing in in the,regular'o-utdoor golf game. yThus, the putter body which is to be usedvwhen the l ball is'within the circle l.'1R,;has.riiore sides or faces with a larger number "on them, than tlieb dy; is to be use'dwhen thel ball in a fifty-yard slice4 11 is in the innermost circle 4B. For eX- ample, the cube 12R, has the figure 3 on three faces, the figure 2 on two faces, and the figure 1 on one face, and is'used when the ball 11 is within the circle 4R. Cube 12B has the figure 1 on four faces, the Iigure 2 on one face, and the figure 3 on another face, and is intended for use when the ball 11 is in' the innermost circle 4B. The other cube has the figure 2 on four faces, the figure 1 on one face, and the iigure 3 on another, and is intended for use when the ball is within the circle 4G.

A block 14, called the caddie, is provided with a plurality of' pockets or recesses 15 adapted to contain the cubes 12 and the balls 11. These pockets are marked, as shown in Figure 2to represent the various clubs used in the outdoor game.

The usual dice cup 16 is provided for use in shaking and throwing the cubes 12.

The scale'or measure 13, in the form of a heavy piece of cardboard or similar material, is cut triangular shape and provided with scales along the three edges thereof, which scales correspond with the scale used in making the representation on the plate 1. On one side along one of the right angle edges, the scale indicates distance, as at 17, and along the other right angle edge, indicates slice, as at 18. On the other face, along the same edges, the scale represents distance, as at19, and hook, as at 20. Along the hypotenuse on each side the scale represents distance By the use of this measure or rule, the players can quickly measure distances between those marked on the plate l and the distance to the right and left of the center line 10 to correspond to thel slice and hook indicated on the cubes. i

The game herein shown and described is played in substantially the following manner:

The rules governing the playing of this indoor game .are thesame as those for playing the outdoor game.

Each player has his own caddie 14 and, starting with the plate 1 representing the `first hole of the course, in .turn shakes and throws first thetwo'cubes representing the driver and then another pair of cubes representing another club, depending on the result of the play made with the driver cubes. The indicia'on the two upper faces of each pair of cubes thrown indicates the dis# tance which the ball is driven and the direction, that is, whether it is straightor to the left or right of the center line. If, for example, this indicia on the driver cubes reads 220 on one cube and 50 hook on the other, the ball 11` of that player is placed on the fairway220 yardsaway from the tee, and 50 yards to the left of the center line 10. Unless this puts the ball 11, over in varound said hole, said cubes bearin scrlptive 1nd1c1a on the faces thereo and the rough, when it again becomes this players turn to play the two dice representing the mid-iron are shaken and thrown and the ball moved on down the course the distance and direction indicated by this throw. If, however, the ball goes into the roug or into one of the sand traps, the cubes representing the club which, in the outdoor game is generally used to get a ball out of the rough or trap, are thrown and the ball moved in accordance with the figures on the uppermost faces of such cubes.

When the ball 11 is within any one of the three circles, one or the other of the cubes representing the putters is used, and the figure on the uppermost face of the cube thrown, represents the number of strokes to be counted in holing the ball.

A score card is 'kept the same as in regular outdoor golf, and each player plays in his turn the same is if he were playing outdoors.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described it will 'be understood that numerous details of the' construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

l. An indoor golf game comprising a plate having represented thereon the fair- Way and border portions of a field of the outdoor game between a tee and a hole, a plurality of circles circumscribed about the point representing the hole, means movable over said plate to represent the plays in driving the ball from the tee to the hole, a plurality of pairs of cubes representing the different clubs used Vin the outdoor game, said cubes bearing descriptive indicia on the faces thereof and being adapted to be used in pairs whereby the indicia on lthe faceof one cube indicates the distance, and the indicia on the other cube indicates the direction, which said means should be moved along said fairway as representative of the stroke which the player would make With a corresponding club in the outdoor game, a plurality of other cubes corresponding in number with the numberv of said circles being adapted to be used singly whereby'the indicia on one face indicates the number of strokes to hole a ball from within the corresponding circle, as representative of the strokes which the player would make with a putter in the outdoor game. l

2. An indoor golf game comprisin a plate having represented thereon the airway and border portions of a field of the outdoor game between a teeand a hole, a plurality of circles circumscribed about the point representing the hole, means movable overv said plate to represent the plays in driving the ball from the tee to the hole, a plurality of pairs lof bodies having four or more sides representing the different clubs Aused in the outdoor game, said bodies bear# ing descriptive indicia on the sides thereof and being adapted to be used in pairs whereby the indicia on the sides of one of said bodies indicates the distance and the indicia on the other of said bodies indicates the direction, which said means should be moved along said fairway at representative of the stroke which the player would make with `a corresponding club in the outdoor game, a plurality of other bodies having four or more sides corresponding in number with the number of said circles around said hole, said bodies bearing descriptive indicia on the sides thereof and being adapted to be used singly whereby the indicia on one side indicates the number of strokes to hole a ball from within the corresponding circle, as representative of the, strokes which 'the player would make with a I putter in the outdoor game. i,

3. An indoor golf game comprisingff a plate having represented thereon the fairway and border portions of a field of the outdoor game between a tee and a hole, a plurality of Zones each extending around the point representing the hole, means movable over said plate to represent the plays in driving the ball from the tee to the hole, a plurality of pairs of bodies having four or more sides representing the different clubs used in the outdoor game, said bodies bearing descriptive indicia on the sides thereof and being adapted to be used in pairs whereby the indicia on the sides of one of said bodies indicates the distance, and the indicia on the other o f said bodies indicates the direction, which said means should be moved along said fairway as representative of the stroke which the player would make with a corres onding club in the outdoor game, a pluraity of other bodies having four or more sides vcorresponding in number with the number of said zones around saidhole, said bodies bearin descriptive indicia on the Asides thereo and being adapted to be used singly whereby the indicia on one side indicates the number of strokes to hole aball from within the corresponding zone, as representative of the strokes which the player would make with a putter in the outdoor game.

Signed at Chicago this 18th day of December, 1922.

- THOMAS H. SMITH. 

